Block-mold pallet cleaning mechanism



July 3, 1956 D. J. wARsAW BLOCK-MOLD PALLET CLEANING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 17. 1952 Nm W P EVCIITFLLDIVH r ...1J n! ri- July 3, 1956 n D. J. wARsAw 2,752,621 BLOCK-MOLD PALLET CLEANING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17. 1952 INVENToR D l// J. Wiessld July 3, 1956 2,752,621

D. J. WARSAW BLOCK-MOLD PALLET CLEANING MECHANISM Filed June 17. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2,752,621 BLCK-MGLD PALLET CLEANING MECHANISM David I. Warsaw, Detroit, Mich. Application June 17, 1952, Serial No. 294,017 3 Claims. (Cl. 15 93) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a block-mold pallet cleaning mechanism. In the manufacture of blocks made from a hardened plastic material, such as concrete, cement and cinder-s or the like, it is customary to use a mold into which the plastic material is forced, this mold being open on both ends. Pfhe mold rests at its lower end on a pallet or separate plate which, during the molding operation, forms the bottom closure for the mold. In such manufacture it is necessary to use a large number of these pallets and the blocks, when molded to position while the mold is resting thereon, continue to rest on the pallet until sufficiently hardened. After the blocks have been formed and sufficiently hardened they `are removed from the pallet or supporting plate and these plates are returned to the machine for further operation. Some of the plastic hardened material adheres to the face of the pallet. This adhering material is sometimes in large lumps and sometimes in a fairly evenly spread layer. For the proper forming of the blocks it is desirable that the surface, on which the mold is to rest, be perfectly even. 1n order to assure this condition it is necessary to clean the adhering substance from the face of the pallet. With methods commonly used the cleaning of the pallets is ran expensive operation and the material is not cleaned evenly from the face of the pallet. Moreover it is desirable that a very thin layer of the plastic material be left on the supporting face of the pallet in order to prevent rusting of the same and in order to facilitate the manufacture of the molded blocks.

It is an object of the present invention to provide, for use with a block-mold machine, `a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the pallets automatically as they are fed from the magazine to the conveyor belt which conveys them to the position of molding.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a cleaning mechanism of this class a structure whereby pallets of dierent thicknesses may be readily yaccommoated and the cleaning operation properly effected.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a cleaning mechanism of this class a means for adjusting the cleaning mechanism upwardly and downwardly.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a mechanism of this class a means for conveying the pallets from the magazine past the cleaning mechanism so that these pallets will be horizontal.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lt is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made in the detail of structure illustrated without departing from the invention and it is intended that the present disclosure shall be considered but the preferred embodiment.

Forming a part of this application are drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View showing the invention in position for use,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the invention slightly enlarged over that shown in Fig. 1,

LS Patent Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the invention,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4 4 ofnFig. 3,

y Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view lof one of the chains used in the conveyor.

The machine with which the invention is used embodies a magazine or bin 15 in which the platens or plates 16 are positioned. This magazine or bin is usually positioned at the rear end of the machine and located at the rear end of the machine is an aXle, on which is mounted a sprocket 18. At the forward end of the machine is also an axle 19, on which is mounted a sprocket 20. One of these wheels is mounted :at each side at the rear and at each side at the front and these wheels serve to drive a conveyor chain 21. Mounted on the conveyor chain is a clip 22 having an upwardly projecting portion to provide an engagement shoulder 23. This clip is separated from the rest clip 24, which is mounted on the conveyor chain 21 in spaced relation to the clip 22 and which has an upper face 25 lying in the same plane as the upper face 26 on which the pallet 16 rests. The construction is such that as the conveyor chain passes beneath the magazine 15 the lowermost of the platens will be engaged by the engaging shoulder 23 of the clip 22 and moved forwardly, its forward edge resting on the face 25. This maintains the platen in a horizontal plane as it is moved forwardly of the machine by the conveyor chains.

Extending forwardly and rearwardly at opposite sides of the machine are the side plates 27 and 28. These side plates 27 and 28 terminate rearwardly of the movable supports 29, moved upwardly and downwardly by the legs 30. The molding machine is so provided that when the platen is brought into registration with the members 29, the members 29 will move upwardly and force the upper surface of the platen into close engagement with the mold, which is supported on the machine above the plane of the conveyor belt 21.

Mounted on the wall of the magazine 15 and extending forwardly are lugs 31, to which are pivotally mounted at one of their ends the links 32 by means of the pin 33. The forward end of these links 32 are pivotally connected to a plate 34 by means of the bolt 35. This plate or bar 34 is provided with a foot 34a, which is secured to the cross bar 36 of a frame which embodies the side rails 37 and 38 and the cross rail 39. Secured to the cross bars 36 and 39 within the frame are supporting bars 40 and 41. Secured to each of these bars 40 and 41 is a bar 44 held in position, as shown in Fig. 5, by means of the screw 47. Carried by the bars 40 and 41 and secured to the bars 44 are bars 42 and 43, which may be termed knives. These bars 42 and 43 are secured to the bars 44 by the bolts 46.

Embedded in the lower edge of each of the bars 42 and 43 is a strip 43 of hardened tungsten carbide material which is capable of resisting considerable wear and abrasion.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a forwardly projecting cam nose 36a is carried centrally of the cross support bar 36 and is adapted to be contacted by the leading edge of a pallet 16 carried by the conveyor and to be elevated by the moving pallet for aligning the bottom edges of the scraper elements 48 with the top surface of the pallet.

Mounted on each of the side plates 27 and 28 opposite the ends of the side rails 37 and -38 is a supporting structure. This structure is the same at the four corners, so that a description of one will suflice `for all. Mounted on and extending outwardlyfrom the sideplate Z7 'is -a screw retainer 50, provided with the bifurcations 51 and 52,V which may be drawn together by threading the nut 151 which is threaded on thebolt 1'52 Aand which passes through the parts 51 and 52. -Formed in this retainer 50 is fa threaded opening`53, in which'is threaded a screw 54 having a reduced non-threaded upper end '55. This member 55 is adapted to engage at its end face with the lower face of one of theurails 37 or 38. Consequently, by loosening the nuts k1'51 the screws 54 may be threaded upwardly or downwardly so as toppositively determine and establish the height of the ,horizontal plane at wihch the frame carrying the cleaning knives will be supported.

Mounted on and projecting outwardly from each o f the side plates r27 and 28 is a bracket-forming plate 56 ,through which project bolts 57, which are embraced by the springs 59 and provided with a nut 58. By tightening or loosening the nuts 58 the tension on the spring 59 may be adjusted and these bolts 57 serve to yieldably suppor the frame in position for engaging the upperrfaces of the members 55, while at the same time allowing Vthe frame to spring upwardly against the tension of the springs 59.

The construction is such that as the platens y1,6 are carried forwardly from the magazine they will pass under the cleaning knives, which constitute the members 42 and 43. The hardened strips 48, carried by each of these cleaning knives, will engage the surface of the platen and very effectively serve to remove from the surface of the platen any of Wthe hardened plastic material which has adhered thereto. These platens, as they pass beneath the cleaning knives, are lmaintained in a horizontal plane because of the positioning of the platen on the conveyor chain. Were the -supporting face 25, as shown in Fig. 9, to be lower than the supporting plates Y26 the platen plates would pass beneath the knives in a plane tilted to the horizontal. This would result in cleaning only a portion of the plates and it is necessary that they be cleaned throughout their entire surface. As clearly shown in Fig. 3 these cleaning knives span the entire width of the plates. The use of the springs also accommodates the cleaning mechanism to plates of various thicknesses and the adjustable feature'makesvit possible to clean the plates of all vbumps while, at the same time, leaving on the surface of the plate a very thin layer of the hardened plastic material.

The links 32 and the plate 34 may be termed a ilexible arm whereby a scraping mechanism is tiltably mounted to overlie the path of travel of the pallet as it travels forwardly; and this scraper mechanism, because of its mountings, may be said to be tiltable upwardly on an axis extended transversely of the direction of travel of the pallet or on an axis extended transversely of the conveyor belt.

Experience has shown that a platen cleaning mechanism of this class is highly etiicient in use and that when the plates pass from the magazine to the position of the mold they are in the proper condition for use as the bottom closure of the mold. The result is that a highly desirable molded block is obtained and the forming of defective blocks is reduced to a minimum.

What I claim is:

1. A block-molding pallet cleaning mechanism adapted for use with an endless conveyor for moving pallets to a block-molding machine, said pallet cleaning mechan ism comprising a support mounting a scraper mechanisrn, ailexible means for swingable mounting said support over one end of the conveyor means on the support first contacting a pallet on the conveyor for aligning the bottom edge of the scraper mechanism with the top surface of the pallet and located below the ilexible means and means for forcing said scraper mechanism into engagement with the face of the pallet to be cleaned.

,2. A block-molding pallet cleaning machine as in claim 1, wherein supporting members for the support are located belowthe support and engaged therewith for retaining the support elevated la predetermined distance from the conveyor, and said supporting members being adjustable upwardly and downwardly for adjusting the elevation of said support relative to said conveyor.

3. A block-molding pallet cleaning machine as in claim 1, wherein the last named means comprises resilient elements engaged `with the support forrnormally resisting movement of said support relative to said conveyor in one direction andadjustable supporting members for the support located below the support and engaged therewith for retaining the sarne elevated a predetermined distance from the conveyor.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,045,677 Collins Nov. 26, 1912 1,564,199 Cantrell Dec. 8, 1925 1,721,224 `Koehler July 16, 1929 2,071,485 Worrall Feb. 23, 1937 V2,279,207 Schenk Apr. 7, 1942 2,637,057 Moore May 5, 1953 2,724,136 Beals Nov. 22, 1955 

